Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

You are all very welcome on this damp and windy day. Apologies have been received from Deputy Mythen. The meeting has been convened to consider Committee Stage of the National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) (Amendment) Bill 2022. I welcome the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, and her team of officials. We will now proceed with consideration of the Bill. As the Minister is present, officials should not speak in public session.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I also remind members of the constitutional requirements that they must be physically present within the confines of Leinster House in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where he or she is not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, any member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting.

I ask members to identify themselves when contributing via Microsoft Teams for the benefit of the Debates Office staff preparing the Official Report, to mute their microphones when not contributing in order to reduce background noise and feedback and to use the raise-hand function if they wish to contribute. I also ask everyone to ensure their phones are on silent mode or, better again, switched off.

I ask the Minister to kick off the debate by giving her opening statement.